Seeking Center: The Podcast

Find Your Breakthrough Moment: Strategies for Personal Growth - Episode 134

• Robyn Miller Brecker, Karen Loenser, Amy K Musson • Season 2 • Episode 134

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In this episode, we’re talking about something we all crave: Growth. That pivotal moment when everything aligns, and you're poised to step into your next level of potential. Whether you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or ready to take things to the next level, we’re ready to DIVE DEEP into all of it.

Are you ready for your growth moment?

Meet Amy K. Musson, a self-proclaimed "growth junkie" who’s dedicated her life to helping people reach their full potential. With over two decades of experience, Amy has coached hundreds of individuals and organizations, from startup founders to C-suite executives. Her passion is guiding others to break through barriers and reach new heights—whether it’s finding clarity in your career, relationships, health, or wealth.

In her podcast, The Growth Moment, Amy coaches everyone from top executives to college students, offering powerful insights and real-time coaching sessions. Each episode feels like a one-on-one coaching session—full of Aha! moments and actionable tools that you can immediately apply to your own life. Amy steps in at key moments, drawing out life-changing insights and handing them directly to you—so you feel like you’ve just had your own coaching breakthrough.

Amy is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology, and her coaching is deeply rooted in her diverse background—from her time as an Air Force officer to leading high-tech startups. She’s known for her tenacious, authentic coaching style, helping clients unlock their unique strengths and step into their power.

And we can tell you she is the real deal because we’ve worked with Amy. She will get you fired up and on your way!

Amy believes your potential matters. The world needs what you bring to the table. So, are you ready to grow in every aspect of your life? This is a BIG subject and we’re  hitting Amy up for her biggest insights.

MORE FROM AMY K

Visit theseekingcenter.com for more from Robyn + Karen, plus mega inspo -- and the best wellness + spiritual practitioners, products and experiences on the planet!

You can also follow Seeking Center on Instagram @theseekingcenter.

Robyn: [00:00:00] I'm Robyn Miller Brecker and I'm Karen Loenser. Welcome to Seeking Center, the podcast. Join us each week as we have the conversations and we, through the spiritual and holistic clutter for you, we'll boil it down to what you need to know now, we're all about total wellness, which to us needs building a healthy life.

Karen: On a physical, mental, and spiritual level, we'll talk to the trailblazers who'll introduce you to the practices, products, and experiences that may be just what you need to hear about to transform your life. If you're listening to this, it's no accident. Think of this as your seeking center and your place to seek your center.

Robyn: And for the best wellness and spiritual practitioners, experts, products, experiences, and inspo, visit theseekingcenter. com Today we're talking about something we all crave, growth. That pivotal moment when everything aligns and you're poised to step into your next level of potential. Whether you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or ready to take things to the next [00:01:00] level, We're ready to dive deep into all of it. Are you ready for your growth moment? Meet Amy K. Musson, a self proclaimed growth junkie, who's dedicated her life to helping people reach their full potential. With over two decades of experience, Amy has coached hundreds of individuals and organizations from startup founders to C suite executives.

Her passion is guiding others to break through barriers and reach new heights. Whether it's finding clarity in your career, relationships, health, or wealth. In her podcast, The Growth Moment, Amy coaches everyone from top executives to college students, offering powerful insights and real time coaching sessions.

Each episode feels like a one on one coaching session full of aha moments and actionable tools that you can immediately apply to your own life. Amy steps in at key moments, drawing out life changing insights and handing them directly to you. So you feel like you've just had your own coaching breakthrough.

Amy is a professional certified coach with a master's in [00:02:00] counseling psychology, and her coaching is deeply rooted in her diverse background from her time as an Air Force officer to leading high tech startups. her tenacious, authentic coaching style, helping clients unlock their unique strengths and step into their power.

And we can tell you she is the real deal because we've worked with Amy. She will get you fired up and on your way. Amy believes your potential matters. The world needs what you bring to the table. So are you ready to grow in every aspect of your life? This is a big subject 

and we're gonna hit Amy out for her biggest insights. Let's go. Welcome, Amy. Hi, Amy. I'm all fired 

Amy: up now. 

Karen: I feel your fired up energy. Just 

Amy: it's just like up here. Because what you two are doing and creating and building Talk about your purpose matters. Your impact matters.

And we found through Kismet each other, I think it's just the beginning of. What we're meant [00:03:00] to support each other on and partner and collaborate. And so I do I feel this, buzz of when, you're supposed to be meeting someone, talking to someone and it you just go, Oh, this feels so good.

So I feel so good to be with you and everyone who's watching and listening. I did a. little manifestation bubble before. And I pictured us together, but I also put in there everyone in all time who will ever listen or watch that they are part of this manifestation right now. We're here for you, listeners, watchers, viewers. And so right now stop whatever you're doing if you're listening to this in the background and take a breath and let it out and be here and let the insights come into you because you were meant to be here today. 

Robyn: I would not agree more

Karen: I love what you said about what we do matters, what everyone does matters. And just hearing those words from someone is so important.

Robyn: And what matters 

is they're [00:04:00] right now listening or watching and it's for their greatest good. Thank you for holding that. And 

Amy: it's so funny because I, was thinking about stuff or points I might want to make and I did not plan to say that. And that's the cool part is all of a sudden I'm like, I need to say this, I need to call out to the audience and bring them here right inside our circle.

And growth comes from willingness to listen, follow what is inside you. No second guessing. No editing. Freakin say it. That is the 

Robyn: truth. How did you get to this place of that knowing? How has spirituality and wellness been part of your journey? Because you've had quite the journey.

We want to hear how you went from being in the Air Force, to where you are now. 

Amy: It is crazy. It's so funny because I, somebody called me one time, and I was, And said, you're like a spreadsheet person married with a soul person. you have all these dualities [00:05:00] of your super techie and organized and, hard driver, but then you are soft and nurturing and warm.

And so I think what happened is the first half of my career. I was in startups. I was doing all of that computer science major. So coming more probably from my left brain in many ways, but there was an underlying thread from my mom and some other pieces that was always there where, Oh, I did check my chart.

Oh, I did do that muscle testing session. And then after nine 11 I think it just rose up and grew out. It was so tired of the dot com smoke and mirrors at that time, and a lot of promises without a lot of delivery. And it just, there's some ick there. and it was one of those.

intuitive calling moments, you need to go be a coach. And I didn't know what coaching really was. This was not logical. This was not a planned career move. And it was a leap of faith. So [00:06:00] the spirituality part had everything to do with, it was only spirit that called me to be a coach. and I think that calling was about the coaching, but also about values alignment.

of my love of depth and wanting to go deeper than what I could do as an executive. People would come into my office and sit down and I started bringing in my own furniture and hangings and then flower essences and like a whole bunch of stuff where I was in a tech company and people would come down and really sit and I would be just coaching them, not just managing or mentoring them because we'd be talking about their whole life.

So it was already happening. 

Robyn: How did you even get introduced to that? where did the flower sentences come from? 

Amy: My mom. 

Karen: Talk a little bit about that, Amy, because I love your story from your childhood and how you were what did you mean by muscle testing also? 

Amy: Yeah. So applied kinesiology, if anyone's ever done it, it's where you have your arm up.

Or some part of [00:07:00] your body and it's give me a yes. It'll hold tight. Give me a no. It goes down. So you can ask what it's really the craziest thing. And my mom started practicing that along with many other holistic tools and techniques. When I was in junior high, so it was going on for a long time.

time and she would say, what does Amy need if she's sick? Is it nutritional? Is it chiropractic? Is it spiritual? Is it emotional? So this belief and then the flower essences was, another workshop that she did. And so then we had flower essences in our house. And so I would make these little cocktails for people and intuitively say, I think you need this one and this one.

And then we'd open up the book and read and they'd go, Oh, my God, that's, yes, that's my thing. This is what's happening. And we would just put the drops in their tea or their water. This is happening in my tech company. Not what they're paying me to do But I think all of that, often things are already growing within us and we don't realize and we're already on the path [00:08:00] and going there in hindsight, 

Robyn: so then you got to this idea of coaching after 9 

Amy: 11. And I found a course and I just signed right up. I didn't question it and it was the right course. Co active coaching. They've been around for a long time. When I started training, that was 2002 and there were definitely coaches, but it was still like, what now?

A thousand percent. I remember that. Yeah, leaving high tech executive startup stuff to do something. So woo. Definitely had my husband now, but boyfriend then saying you're going to do a real job though. And just study this no, 

Karen: I'm going to do it for real. And then Amy, 

was it a combination of professional coaching and spiritual, or did you really just start on Professional and then slowly as well, 

Amy: the coaching training was, you can't put it in either camp because to me, true coaching, it's not spiritual or it's not professional, it is, who are you, what are you meant to [00:09:00] do, how are you going to do that, how do we bring all of you out into the world and move forward and achieve and drive accountability, all the time aligned with your deepest soul and authenticity.

that's the beauty to me. Coaching is all of those things. It is not an either or it is a big old both and so the training I did had that combo. And I think the heart of most coaching is the combo of that. And the belief that you and all of you listening and watching, you are creative, you are resourceful, you are whole, you don't need to be fixed.

I don't have to tell you what to do. I just need to bring it out and deliver. So it's not just a, a therapeutic conversation with no action. That's the cool part is, and we're going to talk about it and then we're going to go do it. Both. 

Robyn: you can feel that when you're working with you because you're zeroing in with our [00:10:00] souls.

 With who we really are, and then you are helping to help us take action. Because at the end of the day, we have to do it. I think people who want to actually transform their lives will get so much benefit from working with you, listening to your podcast, if your door is open to change, you are someone who really will help someone change. 

Amy: And I think about therapy, which is such a valuable tool when it's used to figure out why am I the way I am? and who am I and how am I wired and how did that come about?

So to dial up your self awareness. And maybe to get tools to manage some different things, but respectfully, I think therapy, needs to do the handoff, the baton handoff when it's, and now we need to go design the life and do the things and keep moving and stay aligned. Because I'll often have people say, I've been in therapy for years and it's great.

And I love it, but I'm not nothing's happening. I'm not going anywhere now. We're just. Circling [00:11:00] around and I think there's some phenomenal therapists who can bridge that gap, but some of the training and some of the things have you continuing to talk having to continue. And how do you feel about that?

 So I'm always careful but so many times with clients, Even though I've not met their therapist, I feel like we're partnering energetically or spiritually. We're both doing different parts and joined together. So I love when that happens. 

Karen: And I also love the fact that it seems like COVID moment was just such an opening point for so many people to finally start thinking about how like your professional and your personal really came together.

So many started to realize Oh my gosh, I've been doing this career and I'm just not. And so to be able to bridge that gap and mesh together those places of okay, why am I not happy in my career? And what are the places within my own self and soul that aren't being nurtured cared for and giving yourself the opportunity to really Look at that and you like, yes, [00:12:00] to move forward.

And I think so many of us for so long in our career didn't give ourselves that permission.

me and many, COVID was really that time when we really hunkered down and were really able to give it some thought, maybe for the first time. Ever and to have people like you who could come in and really help map out a strategy and a plan, but take in the emotional and 

Amy: right, but it's not a cold logical strategy and plan.

It's heartful, joyful, purposeful. 

Robyn: think the way that you put that in the comparison with therapy and how They can actually work hand in hand and or there's a hand off is really important for people to understand. 

Amy: I think so. we tend to look for one size fits all or this will do everything I need that's why Seeking Center is so damn important because you're providing all the things.

That we need on the journey. And so just therapy is a beautiful piece. Body work is a beautiful piece. Meditation, [00:13:00] coaching. There are so many times someone comes to me and you don't need me. Let me introduce you to so and so or give you this resource or this book because that's what's being called for.

You don't need a coach. I'm not your best catalyzer. So I think having the humility as practitioners in all the different modes to be proud and sure of your value and also to know and trust when it's somebody else's turn. 

Robyn: What I hope also that people Can get from listening to this is that what you can help coach them in is living their purpose is being fulfilled.

And for every person that's different, we're not talking about just a job. Totally 

Amy: different. 

Robyn: The 

Amy: job, the career is certainly piece of it, but it's just part of what we're putting on the canvas of the whole story. Yes. 

Robyn: And that's really important. I think people equivocate success with career and job.

And sometimes it is. And there's more to it. The [00:14:00] whole 

Amy: definition of success piece I feel is we outsource that definition often and it's externally generated. And one of the first things I often do with clients is what's your definition of success? And it usually, mine it's to make 

my, is it, tell me more.

If you have money, then what happens? It's that unpacking and getting down to it has to be an inside out job success. And it is different, to your point, Robyn it's different for every human. And that's the beauty. That's the wonder of. What's Robyn's definition? What's Karen's definition?

Even though you're partnering, you have Seeking Center's definition of success, but also, how does yours work in, but when we outsource the definition and don't even take the time to really dig in there? That's unconscionable, in a way. This is yours. It's your responsibility to define it and to [00:15:00] really think deeply upon it.

Karen: So talk about the growth moment and how do you define that, Amy? 

Amy: So like when we mentioned COVID, I think everything is a potential growth moment, every moment, all the time. And so I think a growth moment is more about a mindset or a perspective of how is this for me? What can I learn from this?

How can I grow with this? As soon as you flip your brain to that, or you ask that question immediately. It turns so COVID sucks and it's terrible and it's all a disaster. I shared with you that my was just caught up in the hurricane back east. How is that a growth moment? What can come from this?

And so that's to me how we unlock our full potential it's not just growth mindset. That's in there, but it is almost a. Demand that something serve you, even when it's tough, terrible. I'll have a client come in. My God, my boss is so terrible. And it's this and it's [00:16:00] that and the company.

 and I do not do victims well, or victim mentality. I give a little love and I vent and listening is all important. Then it's and what's here for you. That's right. And every time there is growth to be had. So that to me is I can take anything and turn it into a growth moment, but that can be annoying for some people in my life.

My husband is known to say, do we have to grow today? No, we don't. Not everybody loves it. Not everybody is a growth junkie. but I tend to be attracted or magnetized to growers or companies people, places, things problems where there is just that growth vibe. And I think it's been that way since I was a little girl of it showed up maybe more as a love of learning then, but it was really about that fascination of moving past limiting beliefs, moving past assumptions, moving past old paradigms.

So that kind of [00:17:00] that evolution that's ever expanding is. Is inherent why I'm a growth and leadership coach, not an executive leadership coach or a life coach or the growth is the 1st word for a reason. 

Robyn: So when your husband's in a hurricane, or if you're overcoming something challenging, how do you process that? I know we so agree. And that these moments are there to teach us. But how does that play out? I'm 

Amy: great with my clients. I can hold that space all day long.

Never goes away in my personal life. So the first. Part of the days in the hurricane when I can barely get a text from him. I had my anxiety spiral. I had my catastrophizing and my cognitive distortions. And what if he dies? What if this, what if that starting to go, okay. And then what I sell the house, if he died, just the whole freaking thing that we humans do.

And so that's why when I work with clients. I'm like, don't [00:18:00] just have tools that are out there. Make your own toolkit. have it by your bed, if you will, and put in this one and this one, pick the ones that you need. So I have my toolkit. That I know will save me when I go off into, the wrong direction 

Robyn: and I bring it up because, that's the human part, right?

We need to heal and then, but I think once you have this mindset, you can more quickly get out of that spiral. 

Amy: Recovery period is shorter if you will. I spend less time.

I spend less time in the spiral and In coaching, there's in my training, there's something called process coaching, and that's when you hit something and the client isn't ready to find a solution. The client isn't ready to shift their perspective no toxic positivity. There is a time and place to go, Wow, Amy, you're really scared that Mike could die.

You feel powerless. You feel that the world can change in an instant. like talking to the [00:19:00] inner child, right? We all know this of, you can't just be suck it up, tough it up, let's go. You get to. But that's an art for ourselves, for our own self management and doing it for clients. It's an art of feeling for when is it going on too long?

My son just started college freshman year and he's very independent self initiating, doer. And he had a period of four or five days where he was spiraling down, All the normal stuff that can happen in your first couple weeks and he was calling me and we're on the phone and I'm, helping, but I'm mommy, not just coaching.

And I'm feeding in into that spiral. And then finally with great difficulty, I said, you know what? I'm not helping you. In the beginning, it was important to hear these feelings, but now you're just staying in it. So we're not going to talk for a couple of days. I love you so much. I support you unconditionally, bye I, it was 1 of the hardest things, but it was that we've [00:20:00] gone past the moment of where the validating and the listening and the holding of space.

is no longer serving. It did, but so harder to find that discernment as a mother, much easier with my clients, but it's learning that for ourselves too. 

Robyn: Talk about growing for both of you. Like those are growth moments for both of you. Big old growth moment. Yeah. 

Karen: How do you use your intuition, Amy, in your interactions with your clients?

And how do you define what intuition 

Amy: is? So funny. I just attended a workshop on Saturday with an intuition coach and psychic who you guys love. and I realized like, Oh, I have a lot to learn. I want to study intuition more explicitly. So she was talking about the different Claire's, the Clairvoyance seeing, the Claire of the feeling I have, I think Claire cognizance is primarily mind just.

A knowing I don't necessarily hear a voice. I don't see something images or colors [00:21:00] or, but, and it makes sense because I'm a very intellectual heady person in a lot of ways. And so the clear cognizance is I just knew I needed to say that at the beginning of this recording. And I know. All of a sudden that if I use this metaphor, that's the client's secret metaphor that's going to make sense to them.

So it's when that, it is a channeling because I'm not logically thinking these things up, they come out. Of my body, and that's, it's not 24 7. It's when I'm most clear. My channel is most clear. I've done my energetic homework, if you will. but what I'm fascinated is, I want to get better at understanding all those different kinds of intuitions, just like different learning styles and different wiring. I do that with clients. A lot of let's figure it out how you're wired. What are some of your personality profiles? Just mapping out? Who they be, how they operate in the world.

Of course, I do values and purpose and strengths, but I've never done like an [00:22:00] intuition map with a client to really dig out how do they know stuff and how much is that dialed up. So I'm excited to go learn more and, bring that into my practice as well. So I would say I'm An intuition new learner, maybe who's going to know a lot more 

Robyn: I think you are so in alignment. Yes. Who you are and that's it will be doing and you are and with such confidence because I can feel it as someone looking at you and in your presence, and you can feel it because you're just able to see it. And I think it's confidently in your own power, in your ability.

Amy: it's when we let go of the ego, right? it's the authentic vulnerable confidence of I'm not will Robyn and Karen like me or will they think I'm not trying to prove it is that leadership of I have stuff. I'm just here to serve and whatever you [00:23:00] need. And it's not. Every time I go into a Transactional frequency.

 What could Robyn and Karen do for me? And what are they doing? And how could that work? And what will I get out of it? And the people pleaser. Oh, I hope I can give enough, so that I'm worthy. All of that goes away and you get into the transformational frequency where you're just there for transformation, however it happens and you're not attached.

Karen: And I want to make sure that comes across because I know for many who are thinking about what a traditional coach would do, there are incredible tool sets that you could walk people through and you do that. But In the interaction with you was from the minute our conversation started, there was a knowing that came out of you on how to not only drive the conversation but what to talk about and what tools to use along the way.

And there were so many aha moments for us To bring in Seeking Center, the entity into our conversation, for example, and you [00:24:00] just, you did. You just know it. I just know it. Your intuition. But 

Amy: I think it also speaks to, it matters who I'm coaching. I'll coach anyone, anytime. And that is just fun and exciting.

 The, the cherry on the top, the cream, the best at all is humans like you who are also. Connected in so when that happens, and we're all just transforming together and there's no barriers that's just glorious. 

Robyn: And again, there's magic. You have magic. I know that Karen and I feel so 100 percent confident. We could recommend anybody Have a session with you. You don't need to know anything and you do not need 

Amy: to know anything about them.

That is true. That is rare, Amy. And don't we usually take our gifts for granted going doesn't everybody do that? Don't you have that? And so it's a good reminder. Thank you for those. And I know you come from no ego. Nurturing, acknowledging words. Thank you. You're welcome. I feel [00:25:00] seen. I feel understood and valued.

 But I do think I take that part. for granted and think that's what coaching is. All coaches do that. But of course, there's many different flavors of coaches I always say, I'm not a cookie cutter coach. I don't have 10 steps that I'm taking you through. I don't have a program.

I don't have one standard tool set. My favorite thing after 22 years is I'm like that's a new tool that I never found before. It's just yours. or a metaphor or a solution that is born in that moment because humans are snowflakes. there's no two sessions, even with, if we were to coach right now, it wouldn't be exactly what we did before.

It would be fresh and new present moment. And so that is whether it's different than other coaches. I don't know. And can't say, but that is my way is. We never know what's going to come, and I'm going to go deep, fast, I hate the surface, I hate skimming up on the top asking those questions that [00:26:00] cut through the noise, just the, so what do you really want?

 What do you want to walk away with from the coaching? 

Karen: So many aren't asked those questions, or don't even give themselves the permission to ask those questions. Yeah. 

Robyn: And going back to even what we talked about earlier about success, most people stop. Who asks, does your 

Amy: boss ask you, what's your definition of success, Karen? If you can have it the way you want it. How do you want this job to go? 

N: They're often busy telling 

Amy: you what they 

Karen: need and what the KPIs are. That's right. Exactly. give you the definition of success for the business, but not necessarily the success for you as the individual.

And I think that's why so many people do get stuck because they don't know where to start to get out of it. And the fear of what does it mean to go through growth? And it's easy just to stay In the same 

Amy: coaching startup founders or more corporate public company execs. I have a portion of my clientele that are those folks, and then I have 20 somethings and then I have [00:27:00] 70 something, it's they're growers, but when I'm coaching the execs, I'm always going, do you know your people?

Do you know their wiring? Maybe you've got a Myers Briggs or a, something. Do you know their values? Do you know their strengths? Do you know what brings them alive? Do you know what shuts them down? Do you know what they're really up to, what their purpose is on the planet, and how this fits in?

If you don't know that and you haven't mapped it out on a cheat sheet for everyone who is your person that you are managing, leading and then ripple that down at all management levels, I'm like, you are leaving more than 50 percent of their potential on the shelf. You're not even beginning to tap into because all you have to do is wire that into the KPIs and the goals and the success measures for the company because there is a both end.

You can be fulfilled with what you really want. Have a client who's an artist, but she's a software product manager for her day job and finding those ways to bring out her [00:28:00] artistry and her artist's into that job. So it doesn't feel like it's. Separated. I can only be this part of me here.

 We have to bring our whole selves if we want to move the needle on the planet, in our lives, in our families, in our jobs, in our wealth. All of it. Health. 

Karen: And sometimes you make it so much harder than it needs to be, Like we were talking with our mutual friend Amy Angelowitz about career misalignment and how so many of us like get into jobs where we, at first we think it's going to be really cool, but as we spend more and more years in it, we get further and further away from that thing that really inspired us to start with.

And to your point, if you can just infuse a little bit of that authentic part of you into the job, you can get. Back there, or at least towards there. 

Amy: And get away from the all or nothing. Either I can be in this job and make money or I can go do my purpose and who the hell knows, what's going on then.

And so that all or [00:29:00] nothing is usually signs of the inner critic. Inner critic loves all or nothing, black or white, either or. And so when you start to say, how can you infuse your whole full authentic self here? Then these possibilities open up. Even in a job that you think there's nothing left there, or in a marriage that you think there's nothing left there, to me the answer, not always, but so often, is bring out your bring and watch what changes.

Robyn: Yeah, I have two things from that. One is I want to further define inner critic for people who have not heard that term. And then the other thing going to what Karen was saying, that Amy Angelowitz was talking about with that career misalignment, is that people tend to, As you just said it's that black and white because people tend to put you in a bucket, right?

You were a digital strategist, you will always be a digital even though you may want to write too, but yet you can't get out of [00:30:00] that. You feel like you've just gone down this path and there's no And it's too 

Amy: late. so that's an inner critic. So inner critics are, some people call them the committee, inside your head or the gremlins, the little guys whispering or the demons there's all of those different things.

It reminds me of Inside Out. The little people. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So which ones are and so I always like I gotta write a book or do something on just inner critics because there's so many different ways to look at them, different tools. And, but it's also, it is personal because I remember one time coaching somebody and her inner critics were about as wicked as I've ever seen.

They were scary. I'm like, wow, that is pretty gnarly what they're saying to you. That's very dark. And turned out of course, that there was some childhood trauma and issues that had never been addressed. So if we hadn't been looking at the inner critic. And [00:31:00] separating herself from just because that's all going on doesn't mean it's you.

That's just your inner critic. Then we were able to quickly go, you need a referral out to someone who's really good with childhood trauma. You got some stuff to work on there. And that's why we can't move forward. That's why nothing's sticking is because there's stuff to clear. So there are the kind of the big, bad inner critics.

Then there's some that are, I don't know, just more like the annoying micromanager ones that are like you really should do this, and what about that? And those ones don't need to necessarily be killed off. They just need to be leveraged, managed to go, oh, thank you for that information, that I need to be better with my credit cards.

I appreciate that. And I'm taking some actions and you may go now. So teaching people when to dismiss their inner critics or send them on vacation or give them a different job to do for a while, like a kid here go play with this. And then I'll deal with you later. [00:32:00] But what I know is from my top executives to my, client just coming out of college.

You all have inner critics. It's normal. Everybody has them. 

Robyn: And even listening to you, starting to think of my own, but I'm also even thinking of my daughter who's in high school, who, tells me everything. And part of that is, how young can you start working with that? Because 

Amy: Oh, I think you can start grade school.

 Does anyone in school teach us? Hey, you know that little voice in your head that's trash talking or giving you a hard time or that you've started to incorporate? outside negative voices and then make them your own. That's normal. That happens. We all need a toolkit. There's so many things. We don't get the financial literacy.

We don't get the, I think the social emotional wellness curriculum that happens in some schools is trying to start to address that. But I think unfortunately what often happens is Some of the things in the education system go right to [00:33:00] diagnosis. It's anxiety. It's depression. You have this.

You're labeling as opposed to, you're just human unless it's way out on the outer liars where there needs to be clinical intervention and help. I would like to see a lot more. Where's the big fat normal part? Yes. We have inner critics and we have body issues and we have these things, but some more positive, resilient tools to go manage and handle 

Robyn: those norms.

Yes. I couldn't agree more. 

Karen: helping people. How do they even identify their authentic self? Like you said that in our 

Amy: critic versus inner champion, like higher self and that's really ego, super ego. It's not like we're coming up with all this for the first time in history.

Karen: I think when you're thinking about those grade school kids and how they're talking about the age to stay in the lines, right? And all that stuff, it doesn't surprise any of us that we get to our work, professional age [00:34:00] of trying to think, I don't know what an authentic version of me looks like.

Am I? And I think that's why so many people ask that question because it's I've spent most of my school age career just trying to do the things the way people wanted me to do them to make them all happy. So I could either get the a or get the paycheck or the relationship, right? Get the relationship that all of a sudden I wake up one day wondering why.

And so a question of like authenticity, you're like, huh? Remember 

Amy: Runaway Bride with Julia Roberts, that part where she cooks all the different egg dishes to go, I'm going to decide what kind of eggs I like. Yeah, that's always stuck with me because it was such a beautiful funny example of asking yourself these questions.

What do you like? What do you not What matters to you? What doesn't? So I do think that happens the younger, the better. 

Robyn: And I think anyone. Who's been called to listen to this today. Ask yourself [00:35:00] that question in different areas of your life. 

Amy: and including with your children, I was going off about how I want my executives to know their people.

Do you know your child? what are you projecting onto them versus them? Sweep that away. Who are they really, what are their values? I love when families do family values and personal values and purpose and incorporate that in to their growth and their development. That's 

Robyn: such a more it's such a deeper and more fulfilling relationship Yes.

To really do that even with 

Amy: friendships. 

Robyn: Yes. a question I have is how long do people typically work with you? 

Amy: Oh of course, everything under the sun. So I have a handful of clients that I've been working with for 20 years and they keep coming in and out, especially a few incredible executives where I've been with them through, The whole journey, different [00:36:00] companies, different iterations.

I have people that I will do a gift session and then go, you know what? You're good to go. Come back some other time when you have a new growth moment, but you don't need anything else. I will coach people for an hour. I will coach them for a half hour. I will coach them for 15 minutes.

I don't even lock in the session length, much less the frequency. Usually with a new client, I'll do a short growth chat, a little growth strategy, check each other out. Is there something here where I want my coaching to be priceless, invaluable, that Just oh, do I need a latte today?

Or do I need a lot? It will make all the difference if I nail that interview because I was pumped up versus I didn't need the latte. It was just. Empty calories on top of empty calories. So people come to me when they're ready, and I have a pretty good radar to go, Oh yeah, you're supposed to be my client at this moment.

And I've told other people, come back in a year. I don't think it's the right time yet. I don't think this is What's [00:37:00] meant. So the fun part is figuring out what does somebody need and how do we know? And I always tell potential clients, trust your gut. You should have a pretty strong. I think I'm supposed to work with Amy feeling.

If it's not that feeling, let's do a sanity check. And it's probably why I have the impact I do is because I'm not coaching people who shouldn't be coaching with me. 

Karen: That's great. Are there any really big aha moments that you can share things that you've learned from coaching others? Maybe that surprised.

Even you, Amy. I think that, 

Amy: piece, this is less of an aha, as just a, of, we, all the humans are beautiful. Every single one of us. All of us matter. All of us have something to bring to the table and to offer and don't ever forget it. Any of us doubt that is true. And if you don't feel it, it's because you just haven't spent enough time to let it come out.

I don't know. That gives me great comfort. So [00:38:00] I don't have to worry about, is this person good enough to work with her? Will they bring, see dollar signs over them? It is so freeing to trust that I am enough. They are enough in this moment and to let it I'm always working on my self management because I have such forward energy and I have a lot of ideas and stuff.

 And I've always been a lot and, way back in kindergarten in my little report, it says, Amy, is a big presence in the room. And sometimes we have to remind her to use her inside voice. And so I have a lifetime of people going, not so much, honey. I think that's my constant learning is how to continually make more space for the person that I'm coaching for the people around me to trust that I don't have to rush to slow down.

So I think silence and more patience have been some of my biggest ahas that I've learned when I. Lean back a little more even in this, like, how much have I been [00:39:00] talking in this , blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. so I would say that's not so much what I've learned.

It's what I'm learning and aspiring to be without losing my fire, a little more zen this a little more space. But it's just the remarkable beings that humans are. It just kills me of how much is in each person and how different it is and precious and special.

And it's why I started the podcast was because I can only coach so many people one on one in this lifetime. How can I possibly coach more people? And that's why the podcast is, the goal is that you feel like it was for you somehow. 

Robyn: You 

Amy: talk about your talk. Yeah. So I do have guests on and sometimes I'm just straight up coaching.

Or sometimes I'm taking a guest who maybe doesn't want to be quite that vulnerable, put all their stuff out there, that we're more looking at a growth moment, important growth moment in their life, and unpacking that and saying, okay, now how do you bring it? And then I have a ton of episodes where it's just a [00:40:00] solo tool.

 on the inner critic on what do you want your personal definition of success, all the stuff that we've been talking there. Usually there's an episode because it's been 3 years. So they're starting to pile up. So I look at that as my legacy is my gift of I don't have to worry.

About in a sense of what I'm charging for the invaluable work that I'm doing one on one Because if that's not in your budget or it's not right for you right now You got 60 plus episodes because I only do them when they're ready to come out it's quality not quantity for sure and so to know that someone was talking about perfectionism Oh, episode number 56, it's beyond perfectionism.

It's exactly what you need. Go listen to that. And then talk to me. It's so freeing both to have the place to express myself and to play. It's like a big playground and it's so fun. And also to feel generous, to feel giving without holding back of here, let me give you this.

The podcast is very precious to me, but I get caught up in, [00:41:00] Oh, I should have more downloads or I should have more. I got to ask people to do reviews. And yes. And it's like with social media, which I have a big old love hate relationship because it's so easy to turn into transactional. It is transformation.

Robyn: With everything you're saying, and I think with your podcast episodes, they are evergreen. They are definitely, they're not time based, but they are a library that people can go back to, like an exquisite library that people can go to. You guys are the best! It's true, and I think so many people are going to dive into all of those episodes and topics because We can all relate to them and we all need some guidance.

And so I believe whatever is coming through you 

Amy: and it's meant I, that's why I only do one. So right now my editor is. You didn't do one in September. I know because my husband was in a hurricane and my son went to school and I was having empty nest And it [00:42:00] just isn't here yet. And so the next episode is going to be handling change and uncertainty I couldn't do it until now.

It wasn't birthed yet. It wasn't here So i'm, sorry the I went past my due date. To 

Karen: your point earlier, your podcasts are very generous gift that you're giving to people because in listening to them, they do feel like one on one sessions. I want them to feel intimate.

They do, and you give really specific things people can do themselves, but they also feel a bit like a download. The energy 

N: that 

Karen: you, yes, convey in that you just are swept into as a listener and you do feel like you're in that container of Amy's 

Amy: care. It's so funny because of this, I wrestle with the timing because I, before it's like I need to do them.

consistently because everyone tells you have to do them consistently for the algorithms. It took me a while to trust my process and to know that [00:43:00] if there's nothing coming out, there's nothing coming out. The download is not ready. 

Robyn: I love that you're bringing that up in general because Karen and I live in that world too, both for whether it's a podcast perspective or a social media perspective or a business perspective.

There's so many of the this is how you're supposed to do it. It goes back to so much of, I'm sure why people come to you in their coaching sessions because they felt like this is what they were supposed to do. And yet it feels. Unfulfilling. Wrong. And 

Amy: it doesn't feel. Yeah. Something's 

Robyn: off here.

Exactly. And we feel that way with certain aspects of business and social media and all those things. And we know we're just here to disrupt it. Like we know. Like you're disrupting that. You're doing what's right. And the right people are finding it. We've found it. Other people are now going to find it.

And it'll be, it comes from a more authentic place. 

Amy: I can't live any other way. I'm so unhappy when I'm living within [00:44:00] the rules and the labels and the shoulds, and this is how you do it. It's stifling. It's choking, suffocating. I can't do it. Every time I try, I'm with 

Robyn: you. I, every time I 

Amy: try, it's yes.

 I get really bratty when I have to be in a paradigm that doesn't and actually offend people or cause relationships to be broken. There are times where I'm like, woo. But it's because I wasn't listening to myself. I didn't trust what was right for me. 

Karen: I love that so much.

And I was actually thinking earlier as you were talking about coaching, if people are listening and wondering if a coach is right for them because it's a big step for many people take, the gift that you're giving and the podcast is that opportunity. Go check it out. Go get a feel.

Exactly. 

Amy: Exactly. And I always love for people. So you can of course get the podcast in all the normal places. But I do have a website, the growth moment.com. And one of the things is I curate some, like little playlists of them and then also do [00:45:00] like a, just a list here, all of them. And I want people to run down the list and.

Oh, that one jumped out at me. That's the one to listen to. So use your own intuition of what were you meant to take today? And then some other day or week or month, the other one will come up or the next one. So just the way I'm making them, I want people to consume them in the same way. Trust yourself.

 That's a practice in itself. Yes. Yes. You don't have to look at everything on social media. You don't have to read every book. You don't have to read every post. You don't have to take every course. Trust that, oh no, I was only supposed to scroll this far today. It's okay that there's a bunch of stuff I didn't see.

Robyn: Oh my goodness. The permission in that, right? my gosh. Big exhale. 

Amy: It's okay. No FOMO here. 

Robyn: I love that. And what are other practices, whether it's a spiritual practice or a growth practice, is there one or two things [00:46:00] that you could share with us? 

Amy: Yeah what I've been really into, and it's been such an accelerator or amplifier for my own growth the last few years I have an energy healer guru.

Her name is Missy Ozeas, and she started out as a client and through our work found The permission to leave her old career and to do what has been inside her all the time. She is way clairvoyant. She talks to the guides. She does it all. I always say like a session with her. It's five years of therapy, one hour because she literally sees your limiting beliefs clears them.

and it's not for everyone, but for me, it has been remarkable. So I am integrating those practices, sharing them with clients, that's why I'm always grabbing new kinds of tools. So that's been a game changer. Life changer for me What I'm calling this year and next year is I want to have an energetic evolution.

I want to [00:47:00] graduate to the next frequency and not go back. but not because I'm bumping up and down right now with different frequencies. And I'd really like to stabilize and maintain at the higher one. My next highest level more consistently. So that's 1 of the things that's been a big deal for me and she did this cool thing with me last time.

Belief tree, so she sees the limiting. wrong belief that got planted way back. And everything that grew up out of that, that you don't even realize went back to that seed. So intuitively that makes so much sense to me, or organic and ah, and then helps you pull out that belief tree and plant a new belief seed and let everything grow from there.

I just think that's so delightful of an idea. Those kinds of things light me up of really cool paradigms or concepts. 

Robyn: in addition to your connection with your own soul and your higher self, let's [00:48:00] say, in addition to that, what are other things that inspire you on a daily or weekly basis?

Amy: So I am less of a meditative spiritual person. I love the landscape of all of that. And, Sound bowl session, or, some things, but honestly, where I live, it is in the head. It is in the intellect. So I get inspired when I just let myself loose to learn. I'm learning a bunch of stuff about AI right now. so the more I can grab paradigms across. Religion, science, life, humans, money. I was absorbing a lot of psychology of money and money beliefs and Lynn Twist's The Soul of Money book, which is a classic. so that's what keeps me in the right space , I'm not going to read more about politics.

That is just sucking me in and I am not growing from that. I'm listening to a great history podcast right now and diving deep into some past things, but I'm always pulling, Oh, [00:49:00] that the way that played out is the same as. So that's what keeps me in my zone is being able to do cross connections across.

time and space and subject matter. I love history as much as I love science fiction. It's I want all of it and to integrate all of it. So that's much more fulfilling and grounding to me than meditating for me. 

Karen: And that's beautiful. I think we're very much into the science as well because it's all interconnected, And so you just have to go, With what draws you. But I can see if you 

Amy: want 

Karen: to 

Amy: zoom ahead, my biggest fear about dying is that I'm going to miss out on when they go, Oh, this is how it all, religion and science and spirit and consciousness. Look at it It was all there all the time. It all makes 

Karen: sense.

want to miss that. it takes all of us, right? Because we're all coming in from different places. Some of us love the spirituality and the ritual and the meditation. But people like you are also coming in and really helping us from the brain [00:50:00] to the spirit. you're right, Karen.

We need all of us in the room. 

Robyn: you In the center! And for you, that's where your channeling is coming from, is from the growth and the learning when you're in those different modes and you're hearing, that's when you're getting those messages. Yeah, no 

Amy: question. I never thought of it that way, Robyn

I just, oh, I just love to learn about a bunch of stuff. I never thought. That when I'm drawn to learn about certain things, it's because something can channel. Oh, you just gave me such a big aha. 

Robyn: because that that came to me, right? For you. We help each other. That's what's coming to me for you.

And we all come at it differently. 

Karen: It's just being open and listening. And I love how you can bring that in from almost like traditional work environment. We need to open up the aperture to have more intuition and inspiration. All of that in. 

Amy: I love 

Karen: my 

Amy: corporate work. I couldn't do it only corporate work, but I do love it because.

I get to impact [00:51:00] those organizations and environments with this and in a way, because I can speak that language and I can speak the corporate language and speak the spreadsheet language. And so then the messages can be received if I was only coming in with, let me clear your aura and let me do this.

A bunch of those, not all, some of those executives would be like, I'm not talking to her. What are you talking about? the best is like a tough CEO guy. And then at some point I'm like, so what is your little boy saying? And then they just melt. And the preciousness of getting to see behind the facade.

behind, the persona with some of these leaders and to see inside their heart and to help them bring that. That's just a privilege. 

Robyn: Yeah, because we all have. The little Amy and the little Karen and the little Robyn we all have that little person inside us, we've all dealt with our own stuff and continue to, 

Amy: and they're here to help us right now, [00:52:00] if we partner, if we bring them in, if we let them sit on our lap, when we're working.

Karen: And it's like what you were saying about kindergarten, That essence of you was there, and maybe the teacher, in all good intention, for the other students, was saying, too Thank goodness that is the essence of who you are, because that's what you're channeling and what you're doing every day.

Robyn: And really, we always talk about, you are the energy you bring to the room, and your energy is magnetic. Your energy. It can help break. I know it's my birthday 

Amy: today. I feel like 

Robyn: I'm getting the best present. You need to hear it. It's just we're high energy, but you bring even more and that gets us so excited for life.

And so for those that are coming that are really lost. And we're all a little lost at all times. 

Amy: I'll take the lost ones. I'll take the ones that are already climbed five mountains but want another one. Everyone. 

Robyn: And 

Amy: you 

Robyn: can match it. Your energy can match. 

Amy: Yeah, and that's the thing. 

You've got to meet people where [00:53:00] they are and then we can grow from there. 

Robyn: Oh, that's beautiful. 

Karen: I love that. I love also too how you shared with us, Amy, how one of your dreams is to be able to do like a hot seat. Round Robyn or marathon of bringing people up and really being, it's gonna happen before I do.

Oh, do it. We're gonna help you do it. I can 

Amy: see it. When I do workshops or group coaching or things like that, there's elements of it. It's happening, but it's. virtual, it's smaller, or if I go do a workshop in person, it's okay, almost there, but it's not.

The thing yet that I see in my head, think that would be such a, that would be so 

Karen: fun 

Robyn: center is going to help make this happen. We're going to grow 

Amy: so many things. We are one thought that I had. Of course, if anybody goes to the podcast. I would love to hear from you.

Flip me an email and say, I listened to this one or here's my issue. Do you have which episodes would you recommend? I will curate for anyone. That's so [00:54:00] fun. Just like I used to with the flower essences. When you need episode two combined with episode 50 combined with. So that's one thing. If anyone wants to email me, I usually once a month do a public workshop, zoom, but with just.

All genders, types, ages, stages, and it's just a room of growers, and we're working on a theme for that month. But anyone emails me, happy to give you a free seat to one of the workshops of your choice. That would be lovely, because I believe whoever has been listening and watching was here for a reason.

And so let's facilitate your growth. 

Robyn: Yay. You too, Amy. Thank you for helping all of us grow and for following those breadcrumbs that led you to where you are today and continuing to grow. You're continuing to grow, which helps all of us continue. Until the day I 

Amy: die, I say I'm going over the waterfall.

Still growing into the last moment. You both are. Angels. [00:55:00] You are divine spirits. It radiates out. It's such a gift. I've done this today. I had the best time. Thank you so much. 

Karen: Oh, so did we. Thank 

Robyn: you. Thank you. And to find out more about working with Amy, go to amy k coaching.com and you can listen to her podcast, the growth moment, wherever you Listen to your podcast. 

Amy: And thegrowthmoment. com will give you access to a little extra stuff and the workshops that's on, around the podcast.

Perfect. Both and. 

Robyn: Yeah.